“For many of our challenges, we don’t need new technologies or new ideas; we need the will, foresight and courage to use the best of the old ideas,” says Shoshanna Saxe of the University of Toronto, quoted in a recent Guardian article.

THE BEST OF THE OLD IDEAS

Writing more than two thousand years ago, early medical providers Hippocrates and Asclepiades promoted natural therapeutic methods for regaining and sustaining health and well-being, such as a healthy diet, massage, sleep, and physical exercise. These are good examples of “best old ideas” that show us how to prosper and live in a smart way.

Foundational principles of health have emerged and been tested over thousands of years. Ordinary people have great and largely untapped power to draw on them to cultivate high levels of health, personal capacity, and well-being.

Putting these principles to use in daily practice will transform your life.

FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES FOR HIGH HEALTH POWER

• It is natural to be healthy, though not a given.
• Health must be cultivated regularly or it diminishes.
• There are effective techniques for building a foundation of personal energy and capacity to function well. Anyone can learn these techniques.
• Measuring health—not illness—is more useful for attaining and sustaining high levels of health and well-being.

As Saxe says, we need the will, foresight, and courage to use the best of the old ideas. Fortunately, doing so is a realistic possibility for us all.

To continue the conversation, we’re releasing a new video about the foundational principles of high health. We hope you’ll enjoy it and share it freely.

Joyce M. Young, MD, MPH
Managing Director, Advanced Wellness Systems

“Nothing is more ancient than the truth.” —Descartes